In 2020 there was over 3 gigawatts of small scale solar added to homes and businesses in Australia. To put that into perspective, a gigawatt is 1000 megawatts and a megawatt is 1000 kilowatts. Then to really roll it out, that means a gigawatt is one billion watts. Your average 40inch TV uses around 50 - 60 watts.

You get the picture. That is a lot of solar.

So, if you don’t have solar on your home or small business right now, you need to ask yourself why not?

The synergies when installing solar between both home and business and vast. With national and state government rebates in place for both home and business there really hasn’t been a better time to put solar on your roof.

Here are the top 3 ways solar has a positive impact on your home and business and then 3 tips to make sure you get the right deal when getting it installed.

Save On Your Energy Bill

This is probably the biggest impact you will notice quickly across home and business. Solar energy is cheaper than buying from the grid. It is that simple.

To explain how, first we need to understand how a system works.

During the day, when the sun is shining your solar system will be generating clean, green, cheap electricity. Your home or businesses lights and appliances (anything electrical) will use the solar power first rather than drawing from the grid.

If you are generating more electricity than you need at the time, the excess will be sent back to the grid and you will be paid for it (yes, you read that correctly, it’s called a feed in tariff) and if you are generating less than required, you will be the remainder from the grid.

It is that simple.

The reason solar saves you money is because the solar system will pay itself back in a lot of cases in 2 - 4 years. During this period, some systems are even cash flow positive. Then, when it is paid off, the electricity you generate does not have a cost associated with it. A good solar system should last 20+ years with the inverter needing replacing at around 8 - 15 years depending on the quality.

Prepare For The Future

The way we use power at home and in business is currently experiencing the biggest change ever. As we shift away from fossil fuels to more renewable energy sources, our relationship with power will change. Ironically, it will mean we will begin to use more electricity! That will be ok though, as we will be creating it from more sustainable sources like solar.

While today, electric cars might not be that common on the streets of Australia, soon enough they will be in most driveways. Solar helps you generate more of your own electricity to take you away from your reliance on the grid. The amount of electricity you consume today, definitely won’t be the same amount you consume in 5 and 10 years time.

Reduce Your Carbon Footprint

It goes without saying, reducing your carbon footprint is on the forefront of many people's minds. Solar is a renewable energy source so when you consume the power you have generated, it reduces your carbon footprint as you aren’t using fossil fuel created electricity from the grid.

In your small business, consumers are becoming more and more conscious of who they buy from and the impact that those businesses have. When you put solar on your small businesses roof, let the world know! Promote it on your social media, put it on your website, put it on your invoices, put it everywhere! “This business is powered by green solar energy”. Take advantage of the good customer impacts when going green.

Now you know three great reasons why solar is good for your home and business, here are three tips to help you get the right solar system.

Cheap Is Not Always Cheerful

Be careful of very cheap solar systems. From your very first google search, you will now be peppered with ads for cheap solar systems.

We know how tempting it can be when you see all of these specials flying around but they are cheap for a reason. This generally means corners and being cut somewhere and the only thing that ends up impacting is you.

Do your research before committing to anything and just be comfortable you know exactly what you are getting and for how much.

Size Is Everything!

When looking at solar you will find there can be a big disparity in the sizes you are being quoted for solar systems. Often you will find in a residential setting 6.6kw solar systems are the size of choice. This is because of a perfect sweet spot where you can use a 5kw inverter, install 6.6kw of solar panels and get the maximum government rebate.

While this can be a particularly good outcome in many circumstances, it definitely doesn’t work for everyone. Too often it results in people having under-sized systems and it is not a simple task adding more panels. It generally means a whole new system needs to be added. So, getting the size right is vital.

An easy rule of thumb is, look at your average daily consumption over a period. Your quarterly bill or a year of bills would be ideal. Then divide that number by 4. That is about the right sized system to mitigate your bills. If you are looking to future proof your home or send more to the grid, make sure you speak to an expert before getting anything on your roof.

Rebates and Incentives

When you hear about rebates and incentives it is easy to think it all seems too good to be true but in solar, it really is that good.

Before you dive into getting a quote, make sure you read up on what incentives and rebates are available to you. In standard government form, there isn’t one centralised place to find them because there are separate state and federal rebates, and every state does things differently. The national program is called STC’s and available to everyone and state p[programs vary.

Make sure you have a google and learn about what you are entitled to before you go near a salesperson.

If you do not have solar and own your own home or run your own business, you really need to ask yourself why not? With the financial impact and incentives, the reduction in carbon emissions and future proofing that comes with solar, it just makes sense.